jitterbug127

Very nice! If i didn't have a 4 year son that fishes with me I'd very well be inclined to get a fancy kayak.

I LOVE fishing out of a kayak. To this day still my favorite way to get out. I lived in a 1 bedroom apartment and was able to fish out of the kayak anytime I wanted. I'd say for me it was a step above the beating the bank which opened up way more places to fish. I also love smallies, and a kayak can go in about 4" of water like it's nothing. I'd like to get a jet boat, but I'm probably still 15 years away from being able to afford on of those (my goal is to get one by the time I'm 50, 36 now). I like a barebones kayak that weighs next to nothing. Just throw it in the water and go. I don't understand the appeal of trolling motor, fish finders, batteries etc on kayaks but I haven't tried it yet either. I'd rather have my aluminum boat for that stuff.

I have been running the LiFePO4 batteries! the light weight and long run times are game changers.

Have a wonderful season! I have a feeling lots of new PBs will be set in 2026.

I've used those hank parker rods off and on the last 3 years. Very nice rods for the money. The 6' 10" medium/fast if my favorite. Good jerkbait and topwater rod. I threw square bills and lipless on it as well. It was my one stop shop treble hook/cranking rod on the river many trips. Not great at anything but pretty good at everything. I liked spinnerbaits/chatterbaits/texas rigs on the 7 medium heavy/fast. It's a good but i never loved it. The 6' 10" medium spinning rod is a good do everything spinning rod. Tubes, neds and wacky worms. I like the shorter length and it had pretty good balance.

I like shorter rods in a kayak but it’s more because of where I fish. River with current. We float under lots of low hanging limbs and in heavy current I don’t have time to lay them all down and back up, 7 4 on a lake no problem. i also like a shorter rod for relining a rod in the kayak. If my line breaks off and I’ve gotta run line through the eyelets a 74 gets pretty difficult try to do in my sit down only kayak. I’ve have to like drop the rod tip in the water or something really silly to do it.

I have tried to become a Tuesday-Thursday morning exclusive fisherman myself. Indianapolis is full of horrible drivers and even worse boaters. I’m an RN and the girls almost never mind trading me a my weekday shifts for one of their Saturdays.

I did a search and didn’t see this one anywhere. Have any of yall used the Plano hook box? I got one for Christmas and so far seems like it will be nice.

The one that sticks out off the top of my head is we got all the way to the lake and I forgot the trolling motor in the garage. It was about a 2 hour drive 1 way. I didn't own an outboard at the time. This was my only means of propulsion. It was a busy holiday weekend anyways, so we just went back home. My buddy wasn't happy.

I think I've bought 7 new reels in the last couple months. My decision making process was piggybacked off previous experience and knowledge. In 2016 or 2017 I bought my first Shimano Curado i 7.4:1 and really loved it. A few months later I bought a Shimano Curado K 8.5:1 and not long after that I bought a 6.2:1. I used these 3 reels from 2017 up until 2025 caught a bunch of fish with them. I had a bad fishing season for 2025, so I plan to expand my techniques, locations, knowledge, and abilities in 2026. This of course means new gear. I wanted reels that could cast smaller lures better. I really love my curado K reels, but they have never been worth a darn at finesse at least for me. It was pretty straightforward to work into Curado 71 and 151 sizes with experience using curado reels. And for the "new" spinning reel i bought i literally bought another of the the same thing I already had. Spinning reels I like a big knob to turn/a 2500 size spool and the anti reverse/freespool function. I have a couple older pflueger supreme reels that fit this. Curado mgl 71 hg curado mgl 71 xg curado mgl 151 curado mgl 151 hg curado mgl 151 hg slx dc 151 xg pflueger supreme 8230 I kept my curado k 6.2 and a Pflueger supreme.

Rest in peace Tom! I’ve talked to Tom on here several times and he has simply been the best. He just sent me his cosmic clock a few weeks ago. I never met him in person but really liked the guy. I’d say the only way I can properly honor his legacy is to try to catch some big girls in 2026. His wife will be in my families prayers.

6 8 medium/xtra fast is the rod I bought for jerkbaits The 7 3 medium heavy/moderate covers it.

I have gone through this fall and redone my arsenal. I’m thinking I’ve got it all covered but wanted to see if there was anything yall would add? I fish mostly for smallies and we go hit up a few different lakes when time and weather allows. Rods 7’6” medium light/fast spinning 6’8 medium/xtra fast spinning 7 medium/fast casting 7 medium heavy/xtra fast casting 7 3 heavy/fast casting 6 8 medium/xtra fast 7 3 medium/moderate 73 medium heavy/moderate 7 10 heavy/fast swimbait rod i also have a 8 6 heavy/fast musky rod if i got huge swimbait.

Bought a tranx 401 hg locally in great shape for $150. I’ve been wanting to get into musky fishing for while now and eyeing this reel. If I’m able to double dip some huge bass lures/smaller musky lures so be it. The curado k will do onto the victory for the moment. I’m still eyeing that Diawa 200 size reel or possibly a Shimano with dc spool on it.

That’s great! I’ve got a 6.2 here I’ll try first. It’s always nice when I’m looking for something and already have a viable option.

Awesome to know! What gear ratios do you run on your curado k 200s?

Good information to know! Thank you for sharing.

I have a 200k 6.2:1 that I thought of using. I wasn’t sure how well it would do with the 3-4 oz lures I have 80 lb braid on my musky reel. I was thinking of matching that. I’ve never had a bass swimbait rod before so 80 lb braid was just my first thought without knowing too much.

Heavy lures I think would be just fine. I was more curious how the tranx would perform with the lighter lures say 1/2 oz or 3/4 oz and up.

I’m really a Shimano guy but it seems like they don’t offer anything that great in this department. Diawa seems to have it dialed in

Thank you!

I will be using braided line 80 lb.

I just picked up a st croix victory rod 7’10” heavy for $20. I am looking for a reel. I’ve got a big revo beast 60 size musky reel but I’m thinking that too big. I have that on my 9 foot x heavy musky rod. I’m looking at at Shimano tranx 401. Would this be a good size reel for this rod or is it too big? I saw the Diawa tatula 200 might be a nice one as well: I’m also open to recommendations. thanks Rob Rod is heavy fast 1-4 oz lures

The reel covers look like great ideas! I do like rod socks too. I will keep reel with line side up. how about spinning rods what do yall do? Covers as well?

I was a kayak fisherman for several years so lots of last minute sitting rods down in the boat when floating etc. I’ll try to keep them with reel upright and use covers. I always thought of them more of tools than anything so mint condition wasn’t a huge concern to me: learning even minor scuffs kill resell has me rethinking what I do. Thanks for ideas so far yall!